


What If?

by crystallized-iron (Somiko_Raven)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Tony is gone, Unrequited Love, but is a major presence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-13 05:51:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19245118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Somiko_Raven/pseuds/crystallized-iron
Summary: It's been a year since Tony's sacrifice to stop Thanos and Steve receives a call he never expected.Based on this postmade by3000stonyon tumblr!





	What If?

_ “Steve… it’s been a year, man. Come on. People are asking about you.” _

“I’m not the same man I was when I fought alongside everyone, Sam. I’ve finally moved on. From everything.”

A pause. A sigh. _“It’s_ only _ been a year for us. We didn’t get the chance to go back in time and stay there for decades like you did, remember?” _

Steve nodded, even if Sam couldn’t see it.

Steve had found his perfect opportunity to truly let go of a love unrequited and made the decision to stay after making good on his promise to Peggy. He even made sure to avoid all contact with the people that would make his love into the man he would one day become.

And then that battle, all over again.

The dusting. The unsaid goodbyes.

A lonely five years while Steve stayed away,  _ tried _ to stay away, from himself, from the man he missed so much.

In the end, it all worked out. In the end, that man still… still…

“I can’t do it,” Steve finally told his friend. “I’m sorry.”

They said their farewells and ended the call.

Steve stared at the small phone in his hand. The mention of that man’s name was enough to remind Steve of that number he never deleted. Most times he would go through his recent calls to reach someone so he wouldn’t see that name glaring back from his contacts list.

_ ‘You still want this?’ _ Bruce had asked when Steve got back everything he left in the future.

Steve had stared at it, hesitated, should have said no.  _ ‘Does it still work?’ _

_ ‘It should. I mean if it did before you left, then it still does now. You were only gone for a few seconds for us, Cap, remember?’ _

_ ‘Yeah… Yeah, I remember.’ _

He should replace it. A smart phone wouldn’t be such a bad idea -

And it rang.

The name read Stark.

The shock and anxiety that suddenly ripped through his chest almost sent him into cardiac arrest.

_ Tony. _

Should he answer?

What if it wasn’t him?

But… what if…

What if it was?

What if something went wrong? What if he got trapped in the past?

What if he jumped to the future? Was that possible?

What if it  _ wasn’t _ him? What if an alien found his phone? Did Tony - did he actually snap them  _ all _ away?

It was still ringing.

What should he do?

He finally made a decision and answered the call. “T-Tony?”

_“Oh! Old man!”_ came the young and happy voice on the other line, and Steve wasn’t quite sure  _ how _ he felt now. _“Hi!”_

“Morgan… Hi.” Was that disappointment in his voice?

But the girl didn’t seem to catch it as she began filling him in on her day, and the pretty flowers she picked out for daddy, flowers that she said were his favorite because they reminded him of a good friend he used to have - a bouquet of red, white, and blue.


End file.
